Soapstone Cooking Tools and Cooking Surfaces

ABSTRACT

Cooking tools comprising a soapstone slab having an upper side comprising a cooking surface, and a lower side for facing a heat source, are provided. Cooking tools such as soapstone grills having an upper cooking surface which is a substantially flat, polished, and non-stick are described, as well as uses thereof. Soapstone compositions and characteristics suitable for use in cooking tools are also described.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to cooking tools and cooking surfaces, methods, and uses thereof. More specifically, the present invention relates to cooking tools and cooking surfaces comprising soapstone.

BACKGROUND

Pans, sheets, grills, and griddles are commonly used cooking tools which comprise a cooking surface which contacts food and exposes the food to heat. The nature of the cooking surface being used can have a significant effect on the resulting cooked food product. Indeed, a wide variety of cooking surface properties can affect the cooking process, including physical properties such as cooking surface hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, smoothness/roughness, and heat capacity/conductivity.

Materials commonly used in cooking surfaces may include cast iron, ceramic, stainless steel, Teflon, and copper, among others. Each of these materials provide distinct cooking surface characteristics, have certain associated limitations, and have a unique influence on the taste and texture of the cooked food product they produce.

The hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity of a cooking surface can affect the juiciness or dryness of the cooked food product produced, and the non-stick character of the cooking surface. Generally speaking, hydrophobic surfaces are considered non-stick since food products are less likely to adhere to them during cooking. Other types of non-stick cooking surfaces are also possible, as will be known to the skilled person. Non-stick cooking surfaces facilitate manipulation of the food product during cooking, prevent damage to cooked food products during removal from the cooking surface, and simplify cookware clean-up. Non-stick cooking surfaces may also allow cooking using less oil or cooking spray.

The smoothness or roughness of a cooking surface can affect the effective surface area of the cooking surface which is actually in contact with the food product being cooked. A rough cooking surface may have an overall increased surface area, but the rough character of the cooking surface may prevent a significant portion of the cooking surface from actually contacting the food product, or may produce somewhat uneven transfer of heat to the food product. A smooth cooking surface may provide good contact area between the cooking surface and the food product, allowing for effective heat transfer.

The heat capacity and heat conductivity of a cooking surface can affect the transfer of heat from a heat source to the food product. The heat capacity and heat conductivity of a cooking surface can also influence the amount of energy it takes to warm to cooking surface to a desired temperature, the amount of time it takes for the cooking surface to cool once heated, and the evenness of heat transferred from the cooking surface to the food product.

An alternative, additional, and/or improved cooking tool providing a cooking surface is desirable.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It will be appreciated that the following embodiments are provided for illustrative purposes intended for the person of skill in the art, and are not intended to be limiting in any way.

In an embodiment, the present invention provides a cooking tool for providing a cooking surface, the cooking tool comprising:

-   -   a soapstone slab, the soapstone slab having         -   an upper side comprising a surface for cooking; and         -   a lower side for facing a heat source, the lower side             opposite the upper side.

In another embodiment of a cooking tool as described above, the upper and lower sides may be substantially flat and parallel to one another.

In another embodiment of any cooking tool or cooking tools as described above, the upper and lower sides of the soapstone slab may be cut against the grain of a soapstone material.

In still another embodiment of any cooking tool or cooking tools as described above, the cooking surface may be a flat, polished, and substantially non-stick surface.

In yet another embodiment of any cooking tool or cooking tools as described above, the soapstone slab may comprise soapstone comprising about 40-50% talc.

In still another embodiment of any cooking tool or cooking tools as described above, the soapstone slab may comprise soapstone comprising about 40-50% magnesite.

In yet another embodiment of any cooking tool or cooking tools as described above, the soapstone slab may comprise soapstone having a ratio of talc:magnesite which is about 1:1.

In yet another embodiment of any cooking tool or cooking tools as described above, the soapstone slab may comprise soapstone comprising about 5-8% chlorite.

In another embodiment of any cooking tool or cooking tools as described above, the soapstone slab may comprise soapstone having a substantially homogenous or well-dispersed distribution of talc therein.

In another embodiment of any cooking tool or cooking tools as described above, less than about ⅕ of the total surface area of the upper side of the soapstone slab may comprise veins.

In yet another embodiment of any cooking tool or cooking tools as described above, less than less than 20%, less than 15%, less than 10%, less than 5%, or even about 0% of the total surface area of the upper side of the soapstone slab may comprise veins.

In still another embodiment of any cooking tool or cooking tools as described above, the upper side of the soapstone slab may be substantially free of veins having a continuous length which spans more than about 40% of its height or width (i.e. a dimension spanning from one end to the opposite end).

In yet another embodiment of any cooking tool or cooking tools as described above, the upper side of the soapstone slab may be substantially free of veins having a continuous length which spans more than about 40%, more than about 30%, more than about 20%, or more than about 10% of its height or width, or which is substantially free of long continuous veins.

In still another embodiment of any cooking tool or cooking tools as described above, the soapstone slab may be about 0.5-1.25 inches in thickness. In yet another embodiment, the soapstone slab may be about 0.5-0.875 inches in thickness.

In another embodiment, there is provided herein a use of any cooking tool or cooking tools as described above for cooking a food product.

In yet another embodiment, there is provided herein a method for preparing a soapstone slab of a cooking tool as described above, the method comprising:

-   -   cutting soapstone to generate the soapstone slab, wherein the         soapstone is cut on the bias to generate the upper and lower         sides of the soapstone slab; and     -   polishing at least a portion of the upper side to generate the         cooking surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

It will be appreciated that the following drawings are provided for illustrative purposes intended for those skilled in the art, and are not meant to be limiting in any way.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a cooking tool comprising a soapstone slab having an upper side comprising a cooking surface;

FIG. 2 shows a comparison of soapstone having a substantially homogenous, well-dispersed distribution of talc (A) with soapstone having a comparatively poor distribution of talc wherein significant portions of talc are localized to “veins” running through the soapstone (B). In (C), the prominent veins of (B) are outlined in dashed lines, and can be seen as representing about ⅕ of the depicted surface area; and

FIG. 3 provides an example of two wood planks, one of which has been cut against the grain to generate the depicted upper surface (top), and the other of which has been cut with the grain to generate the depicted upper surface (bottom).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described herein are examples and embodiments of cooking tools and cooking surfaces. It will be appreciated that embodiments and examples are provided herein for illustrative purposes intended for those skilled in the art, and are not meant to be limiting in any way. All references to embodiments or examples throughout this disclosure should be considered as references to illustrative and non-limiting embodiments and illustrative and non-limiting examples.

In certain embodiments, there is provided herein a cooking tool for providing a cooking surface, the cooking tool comprising a soapstone slab, the soapstone slab having an upper side comprising a cooking surface, and a lower side opposite the upper side for facing a heat source.

The cooking tool may be a pan, sheet, grill, griddle, or other suitable cooking tool known to the person of skill in the art. In the illustrative example described in further detail below and shown in FIG. 1, the cooking tool is a grill, however other cooking tools are possible.

The cooking tool illustrated in FIG. 1 is an example of a soapstone grill cooking tool. The cooking tool (100) comprises a soapstone slab (104) having an upper side (101) comprising a cooking surface and a lower side (102; not shown) opposite the upper side for facing a heat source. The depicted cooking tool is substantially rectangular in shape, with the upper side (101) and lower side (102) providing substantially flat, parallel, rectangular surfaces. The edges (103) of the depicted cooking tool are also shown as being substantially flat.

Although the cooking tool depicted in FIG. 1 is shown as being substantially rectangular in shape, it will be understood that a wide variety of other shapes will also be possible. Cooking tools may take many different shapes, depending on the particular application, or depending on aesthetic or ornamental design choices. By way of example, cooking tools for use on a barbeque (BBQ) having a rectangular grill may be rectangular in shape so as to make efficient use of the available space, whereas cooking tools for use on a BBQ having a circular grill may be round in shape for similar reasons. In certain embodiments, it may be desirable to have the cooking tool shaped to cover substantially all of the available surface of the heat source, or only a portion thereof. For example, it may be desirable to have a cooking tool as described herein which is shaped so as to cover only a portion of a BBQ grill surface, allowing the user to cook food on the cooking tool and the BBQ grill at the same time. In certain embodiments, cooking tools may be modular in shape, such that cooking tool sections may be added or removed as needed for particular cooking applications. Cooking tools as described herein may be shaped so as to interlock or accommodate additional cooking tools, allowing the available cooking surface area to be adjusted. By way of example, edges (103) of the cooking tool depicted in FIG. 1 may feature grooves/channels allowing them to interlock or accommodate one or more additional corresponding cooking tool units.

The person of skill in the art will be aware of a wide variety of suitable design choices for suitable cooking tools, including those which provide interlocking features, aesthetic or ornamental features, and/or additional functional features. Such functional features may include, for example, handles or attachment points for installing/removing the cooking tools, or features to accommodate a particular heat source surface such as hooks or clips for securing the cooking tool to a BBQ. By way of non-limiting example, one or more edges (103) of the cooking tool may be shaped so as to engage with the heat source, facilitating installation and/or stability of the cooking tool on or in the heat source.

In the cooking tool depicted in FIG. 1, the soapstone cooking surface of the upper side (101) is a polished soapstone surface, which provides a substantially non-stick cooking surface due to its hydrophobic character and its smooth polished finish. The polished soapstone cooking surface also has low porosity, meaning that bacteria and other contaminants have a reduced ability to penetrate the cooking surface, facilitating cleaning of the cooking surface. The polished soapstone cooking surface is smooth and substantially inert, providing a high effective surface area which is able to better contact food product to be cooked, which may enhance the Maillard reaction during cooking. In the cooking tool depicted in FIG. 1, the cooking surface of the upper side (101) is a flat level surface which is substantially free of grooves, ribs, channels, or other uneven regions which may interfere with the Maillard reaction and/or weaken the structural integrity of the soapstone. As well, a substantially flat cooking surface may react more uniformly to changes in temperature.

Because of the heat capacity and heat conductivity of soapstone as described herein, cooking tools as described herein may be used to provide a substantially even heating to a food product. Soapstone is less affected by localized or global temperature swings than certain conventional cooking materials, and the soapstone cooking surface of cooking tools as described herein provides a more even heating to the food product that certain conventional cooking materials. These properties may facilitate the cooking process, and may make cooking more predictable or user-friendly.

In the cooking tool illustrated in FIG. 1, the lower side (102) is a substantially flat surface which is parallel to the upper side (101). The lower side (102) functions to support the cooking tool on or in the heat source. In the depicted example, the lower side (102) contacts and rests on the grill of a BBQ, stabilizing the cooking tool in the BBQ. Further, the lower side (102) of the cooking tool is in greatest communication with the BBQ burners, acquiring or capturing heat therefrom and transferring or radiating the heat to the cooking surface and the food product to be cooked.

The person of skill in the art will recognize that one of the functions of the lower side (102) of the cooking tool is to support the cooking tool on or in the heat source. It will be understood that the heat source may be any suitable heat source known to the person of skill in the art such as, but not limited to, a BBQ, an oven, a stove top, a pizza oven, a griddle, or a fire pit. Thus, in certain embodiments, the lower side (102) of the cooking tool may be designed so as to engage with a heat source, facilitating installation and/or stability of the cooking tool on or in the heat source. By way of non-limiting example, the lower side (102) of the cooking tool may be shaped so as to reduce slippage between a BBQ grill and the cooking tool when placed thereon.

In the illustrated cooking tool embodiment, the lower side (102) is substantially flat and unpolished. A substantially flat surface on the lower side (102) may react more uniformly to changes in temperature. In this embodiment, the lower side (102) does not contact food product, and therefore does not require a smooth polished finish. In other embodiments, however, the lower side (102) may also be polished, allowing the user to cook on either side of the cooking tool.

Because the cooking tool comprises a soapstone slab, the cooking tool may also be used as a tool for serving food. Hot soapstone, because of its heat capacity and heat conductivity, cools more slowly than certain conventional cooking materials, meaning that cooking tools as described herein may be used to keep food warm after cooking. As well, cold soapstone warms more slowly that certain conventional cooking materials, meaning that cooking tools as described herein may be subjected to cool temperatures and then used to keep food cool following preparation.

Some soapstone products may be susceptible to cracking or breakage during transport and/or during use. Certain soapstone materials may experience cracking or breakage under conditions such as rapid cooling from a heated state. The composition of the soapstone, and in particular the concentration and distribution of talc and other components within the soapstone, can have an effect on the susceptibility of the soapstone to breakage.

In applications where it may be desirable to have a cooking tool which is resistant to breakage, it may be preferable, in certain non-limiting embodiments, to use a soapstone having a ratio of talc:magnesite which is about 1:1, or approximately equal parts talc and magnesite. By way of non-limiting example, it may be desirable to use a soapstone comprising about 40-50% talc and about 40-50% magnesite. The soapstone may, optionally, additionally comprise about 5-8% chlorite.

Furthermore, in applications where it may be desirable to have a cooking tool which is resistant to breakage, it may be preferable, in certain non-limiting embodiments, to use a soapstone in which the talc component has a substantially homogenous or well-dispersed distribution throughout the soapstone. In certain soapstone products, a significant portion of talc may be localized to thick “veins” running through the soapstone. This localization of a portion of the talc to thick veins may result in soapstone products which are more susceptible to breakage. In contrast, a substantially homogenous or well-dispersed distribution of talc throughout the soapstone may provide more resilient cooking tools and/or cooking surfaces. Examples of soapstone having a homogenous or well-dispersed distribution of talc, and soapstone having a portion of the talc localized to thick veins, are provided in FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B)/2(C), respectively, which are described in further detail below.

The person of skill in the art having regard to the teachings herein will further appreciate that the thickness of the soapstone slab can have an effect on the heating/cooling properties of the cooking tool, and on the durability or resistance of the cooking tool to breakage. A wide variety of soapstone slab thicknesses are possible, and the person of skill in the art having regard to the teachings herein will be able to select suitable soapstone thicknesses depending on the particular application.

In the non-limiting embodiment depicted in the FIG. 1, the cooking tool soapstone slab may have a thickness of about 0.5-1.25 inches (i.e. the dimension of edges (103) which spans from the upper side (101) to the lower side (102) may be about ½ to about 1¼ inches). Having such a thickness may help the soapstone slab to heat and cool at a substantially similar rate throughout, thus reducing the occurrence of stress fractures during changes in temperature. It will be understood that other thicknesses are also possible.

In a non-limiting embodiment, a cooking tool as described herein may be produced using a method comprising cutting soapstone on the bias of the stone to generate the upper and lower sides of the soapstone slab. In such a method, the cooking tool may be produced such that the upper and lower sides of the soapstone slab are cut generally against the grain of the soapstone, as opposed to with the grain. In certain examples, cooking tools prepared in this manner may allow for good heat distribution and strong heat flow from the lower side to the upper side of the cooking tool, and/or good stability characteristics of the cooking tool.

For illustrative purposes, FIG. 3 provides an example of two wood planks, one of which has been cut against the grain to generate the depicted upper surface (top), and the other of which has been cut with the grain to generate the depicted upper surface (bottom).

The person of skill in the art having regard to the teachings herein will be aware of several suitable alternative or complementary methods for generating a cooking tool as described herein, and is not limited to those described above.

Example 1 Soapstone Composition Example—Canadian Soapstone

Some examples of possible soapstone compositions suitable for use in cooking tools as described herein are provided in TABLE 1, and some examples of possible physical properties of soapstone suitable for use in cooking tools as described herein are provided in TABLE 2. These tables describe components, component concentrations, and physical characteristics and properties of soapstone obtained from a quarry located in Quebec, Canada, which provides an excellent example of soapstone demonstrating advantageous properties amendable to use in cooking tools as described herein.

It will be understood that the following descriptions are intended to provide illustrative embodiments of some possible soapstone compositions, along with some associated physical properties, which may be considered as being suitable for use in cooking tools as described herein. The person of skill in the art having regard to the teachings herein will readily appreciate that other suitable soapstone compositions having one or more component(s), component concentration(s), and/or physical property or properties which vary from those described in TABLES 1 and 2 below may be possible. Indeed, the person of skill in the art having regard to the teachings herein will be aware of suitable variations, modifications, substitutions, additions, or deletions of one or more of the elements described in TABLES 1 and 2 which may be possible, and it will be appreciated by the skilled person that the examples and embodiments shown in TABLES 1 and 2 are not intended to be limiting in any way.

In certain embodiments, suitable soapstone composition examples may have one, more than one, or all of the components, component concentrations, and/or physical property values/descriptions being generally in accordance with those shown in TABLE 1 and TABLE 2. As well, in certain embodiments, suitable soapstone composition examples may comprise one or more additional components not listed in TABLE 1.

In certain embodiments, suitable soapstone compositions may include those available to the person of skill in the art having one or more than one of the components, component concentrations, and/or physical property values/descriptions which vary from those shown in TABLE 1 and/or TABLE 2.

TABLE 1 Example Soapstone Compositions - Canadian Soapstone Soapstone Components (Note: Other components in addition to those below may optionally also be present Concentration Talc ~40-50% Magnesite ~40-50% Chlorite  ~5-8% (optional) Dolomite  ~0-5% (optional)

TABLE 2 Example Properties of Soapstone Compositions - Canadian Soapstone Substance Information: Substance: Soapstone Synonym: Steatite Molecular Formula: 3MgO•4SiO₂•H₂O Chemical Family: Silicate Soapstone Physical Property Description Description Slight earthy odor, light to dark gray and green Specific Gravity 2.7-2.8 Decomposition Temperature Talc: 900-1000° C. (+1630-1640° F.) LOI @ 900-1000° C. (1630-1640° F.) 10-30% Solubility in Water Insoluble pH Slightly Alkaline Hardness 1.0-1.5 MOHS to 2.5-4 MOHS. Surface treatment: 4 MOHS. Refraction and Traction Parallel to strata: 16.8 MN/m² Perpendicular to strata: 15.7 MN/m² Specific Weight 2.980 kg/m² Density 2.6-2.7 g/cm³ Compr. Ratio 25 MN/m² Coefficient of dilatation for T > 500° C. 0.0017% ° C. Thermal conductibility 3 W/m · K to 6.4 W/mK Specific Heat 0.98 kJ/kg ° C. (980 J/Kg · K) Other Solvents Soapstone is soluble in highly concentrated, hot phosphoric acid; insoluble in cold acids and alkalis. Magnetite and dolomite release carbon dioxide in acid.

It certain further embodiments, suitable soapstone compositions may include those having a substantially homogenous or well-dispersed distribution of talc throughout the soapstone, such as that found in the Canadian soapstone example described herein. Some soapstone compositions may contain relatively poor distribution of talc, wherein significant portions of talc are localized to “veins” running through the soapstone. This localization of high levels of talc to veins may lead to soapstone products which are more prone to cracking or breakage when exposed to physical impact and/or rapid heating/cooling cycles. A substantially homogenous or well-dispersed distribution of talc throughout the soapstone may thus be advantageous in certain non-limiting embodiments, as such soapstone may provide more resilient cooking tools and/or cooking surfaces.

FIG. 2 shows a comparison of soapstone (in this example, Canadian soapstone) having a substantially homogenous, well-dispersed distribution of talc (A) with different soapstone having a comparatively poor distribution of talc wherein significant portions of talc are localized to “veins” running through the soapstone (B). As can be seen, the soapstone shown in (A) is indeed substantially free of the talc veins, which can be seen running throughout the soapstone surface depicted in (B). In FIG. 2(C), the prominent veins of FIG. 2(B) are outlined in dashed lines, and can be seen as representing about ⅕ of the depicted surface area. At least some of the outlined prominent veins have a length which spans about 40% of the width or the height of the depicted surface (depending on the orientation), or even spans up to 100%.

The person of skill in the art having regard to the teachings herein will understand that a vein as described herein may, in certain embodiments, encompass talc veins in a soapstone which have at least one portion along the continuous vein which is about 1 cm or greater in width.

Thus, in certain embodiments, suitable soapstone compositions may include those having a substantially homogenous or well-dispersed distribution of talc throughout the soapstone, wherein less than ⅕ of the total surface area of the soapstone comprises veins. For example, suitable soapstone compositions may include those having a substantially homogenous or well-dispersed distribution of talc throughout the soapstone, wherein less than 20%, less than 15%, less than 10%, less than 5%, or even about 0% of the total surface area of the soapstone comprises veins.

In certain further embodiments, suitable soapstone compositions may include those having a substantially homogenous or well-dispersed distribution of talc throughout the soapstone, wherein the soapstone is substantially free of veins having a continuous length which spans more than about 40% of the height or width (i.e. a dimension spanning from one end to the opposite end) of the soapstone surface. For example, suitable soapstone compositions may include those having a substantially homogenous or well-dispersed distribution of talc throughout the soapstone, wherein the soapstone is substantially free of veins having a continuous length which spans more than about 40%, more than about 30%, more than about 20%, or more than about 10% of the height or width of the soapstone surface, or which is substantially free of long continuous veins.

One or more illustrative embodiments have been described by way of example. It will be understood to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A cooking tool for providing a cooking surface, the cooking tool comprising: a soapstone slab, the soapstone slab having an upper side comprising a cooking surface; and a lower side for facing a heat source, the lower side opposite the upper side.
 2. The cooking tool according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower sides are substantially flat and parallel to one another.
 3. The cooking tool according to claim 1, wherein the cooking surface is a flat, polished, and substantially non-stick surface.
 4. The cooking tool according to claim 1, wherein the soapstone slab comprises soapstone comprising about 40-50% talc and about 40-50% magnesite.
 5. The cooking tool according to claim 1, wherein the soapstone slab comprises soapstone having a ratio of talc:magnesite which is about 1:1.
 6. The cooking tool according to claim 1, wherein the soapstone slab comprises soapstone comprising about 5-8% chlorite.
 7. The cooking tool according to claim 1, wherein the soapstone slab comprises soapstone having a substantially homogenous distribution of talc therein.
 8. The cooking tool according to claim 1, wherein less than about ⅕ of a total surface area of the upper side of the soapstone slab comprises veins.
 9. The cooking tool according to claim 1, wherein less than 20%, less than 15%, less than 10%, or less than 5% of a total surface area of the upper side of the soapstone slab comprises veins.
 10. The cooking tool according to claim 1, wherein the upper side of the soapstone slab is free of veins having a continuous length which spans more than about 40% of its height or width.
 11. The cooking tool according to claim 1, wherein the upper side of the soapstone slab is free of veins having a continuous length which spans more than about 40%, more than about 30%, more than about 20%, or more than about 10% of its height or width.
 12. The cooking tool according to claim 1, wherein the soapstone slab is about 0.5-1.25 inches in thickness.
 13. Use of a cooking tool according to claim 1 for cooking a food product.
 14. A method for preparing a soapstone slab of a cooking tool as defined in claim 1, the method comprising: cutting soapstone to generate the soapstone slab, wherein the soapstone is cut on the bias to generate the upper and lower sides of the soapstone slab; and polishing at least a portion of the upper side to generate the cooking surface. 